Opposition parties seek FIRs against AAP leaders for model code violation in Jalandhar Lok Sabha bypoll

CHANDIGARH: The opposition Congress, BJP and the SAD in Punjab on Thursday sought the registration of FIRs against AAP MLAs and other party leaders for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct during the Jalandhar Lok Sabha bypolls.

On Wednesday, the opposition party leaders had accused the ruling AAP of deploying ”outsiders” at several booths, a charge denied by the party. They said as per the instructions of the Election Commission, outsiders were mandated to leave the constituency after the poll campaign period was over.

A delegation of the Punjab Congress, led by unit chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, met with the state chief electoral officer here Thursday and submitted a complaint against AAP MLAs and leaders hailing from other constituencies who were seen around the booths during the polling.

Warring lodged the complaint against Baba Bakala Sahib MLA Dalbir Singh Tong, Amritsar (West) MLA Jasbir Singh Sandhu, Ludhiana (East) MLA Daljit Singh Grewal Bhola, Ludhiana (West) MLA Gurpreet Gogi, Jaitu MLA Amolak Singh and Amritsar (Central) MLA Ajay Gupta.

He urged the chief electoral officer to take stringent action against these legislators.

Warring said that despite several complaints filed against the AAP lawmakers, the administration turned a ”blind eye”.

If no action is initiated, the Congress would be left with no other option but to file a complaint with the Election Commission of India, he added.

A delegation of Punjab BJP leaders led by the party’s state general secretary Subhash Sharma also met with chief electoral officer and demanded the registration of FIRs against the AAP legislators and leaders present in the Jalandhar parliamentary constituency during the polling.

Speaking to reporters here, Sharma accused the AAP leaders of intimidating voters and claimed that no action has been taken so far against them. He also demanded that they should be suspended as MLAs.

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) slammed the Jalandhar deputy commissioner, the commissioner of police and other senior officers, accusing them of not taking action against AAP leaders who violated the Model Code of Conduct. The May 10 by-election was necessitated due to the death of sitting Congress MP Santokh Chaudhary in January.

Source: Press Trust of India